[45], Johnson was drafted first overall in 1979 by the Los Angeles Lakers. Magic Johnson might be a legendary basketball player, but to his three kids, his most important role is dad. The Slovenian notched up a 30th career triple-double in his 146th game in the NBA, reaching the milestone in 44 fewer games than Magic . Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals . With the Google Pixel 6, Serbian fans become fans of the Nuggets with the help of the smartphone's translation feature. "[33][128], Determined to play competitive basketball despite being out of the NBA, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team composed of former NBA and college players. Similarly, Bird admitted that Johnson's daily box score was the first thing he checked in the morning. The series started poorly for the Lakers when they allowed an NBA Finals record 148points to the Celtics in a 34-point loss in Game 1. [125][127] Johnson, who still had a guaranteed player contract that would pay him $14.6 million during the 199495 NBA season, signed a separate contract to coach the team that had no compensation. [91] Johnson and Thomas greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek before the opening tip of Game 1, which they called a display of brotherly love. [13] In 1991, Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly in a small wedding in Lansing which included guests Thomas, Aguirre, and Herb Williams. [67] Despite his off-court troubles, Johnson averaged 18.6points, 9.6rebounds, 9.5assists, and a league-high 2.7steals per game, and was voted a member of the All-NBA Second Team. He also has a son, Andre Johnson, from a previous relationship. They Call Me Magic will give fans "a rare glimpse into . [195] Another major project is with insurance services company Aon Corp.[196] In 20052007, Johnson was part of a syndicate that bought the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower, then the tallest building in Brooklyn, for $71 million and converted the 512-foot high landmark structure from an office building into luxury condominiums. [205], He is an investor for aXiomatic eSports, the ownership company of Team Liquid. Other biographies include: On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [181][182] Johnson also co-promoted Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope Tour through his company Magicworks. Johnson would often help his father on the garbage route, and he was teased by neighborhood children who called him "Garbage Man". The superstars' fiery relationship cooled after filming a 1985 Converse commercial filmed in French Lick, Ind., Bird's hometown. 4.05. By using iSpot.tv, you accept our, Visit California TV Spot, 'Living the Dream' Feat. [179] In 1998, Johnson hosted a late night talk show on the Fox network called The Magic Hour, but the show was canceled after two months because of low ratings. 1,006 ratings37 reviews. [74] Johnson averaged another double-double season, with 17.6points, 13.1assists, and 7.3rebounds per game. [170] Johnson resides in Beverly Hills and has a vacation home in Dana Point, California. [164] Under Johnson, the Lakers sought to acquire multiple star players and cleared existing players, including future All-Star D'Angelo Russell, off of their roster in an attempt to free up room under the league's salary cap. [207] In March 2012, Johnson's ownership group was announced as the winner of the proceedings to buy the Dodgers. That initial battle was an appetizer for the decade that followed as the pair became two of the greatest basketball players in NBA history who developed a fierce personal rivalry during the 1980s that included three meetings in the NBA Finals. In a press conference held on November 7, 1991, Johnson made a public announcement that he would retire immediately. "[177] Buss acquired the team from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979, shortly before he drafted Johnson with the #1 pick in the 1979 NBA draft. ", "NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game", "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game", "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists", "Magic Johnson Says It Breaks His Heart That Kobe Bryant Won't Be At Hall Of Fame Ceremony", "Magic Johnson's HIV activism hasn't slowed 22 years after historic announcement", "7: Magic Johnson announces he's HIV-positive", "Magic Touch: Magic Johnson's Fast Break Into Business", "Magic Johnson and other Dodgers owners purchase the Sparks", "Magic Johnson now has championship rings in the NBA, MLB and WNBA", "Rebounding from basketball court to boardroom", "Detroit Board's Busing Decision Termed 'Unwise', "State Basketball Championships Are Now History", "Everett High School - Archives Yearbook (Lansing, MI), Class of 1977", "Consensus All-America Teams (196970 to 197879)", "Magic Johnson Returns To The Breslin Center", "Rookie Makes the Lakers Believe in Magic", "The Extra Pass: Talking "Showtime" Lakers with author Jeff Pearlman", "NBA's Greatest Moments: Magic Fills in at Center", "Sports of The Times; Magic Johnson's Legacy", "Johnson rubs LA's Magic lantern for 25 million bucks", "Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount 1790 to Present", "Moses Helps Dr. J, Sixers Reach Promised Land", "Ticker: Jerry West still fielding Magic Johnson-Norm Nixon questions", "Celtics Win First BirdMagic Finals Showdown", "Isiah blasts Magic Johnson over criticisms in forthcoming book", "Kareem, Lakers Conquer the Celtic Mystique", "Waiting Game Ends for Impatient Pistons", "Johnson Not Ready To Pass Mantle; For 9th Time, Lakers Show Magic Touch", "Bulls Finally Get That Championship Feeling", "Still stunning the world 10 years later", "Knee injury knocks Magic out of Dream Team lineup against Germany", "Magic Johnson wishes he hadn't retired so early (Video)", "Magic Johnson's Gala Midsummer Night Magic Gets $1.3 Mil for UNCF", "Game worn Shaquille O'Neal jersey from "A Midsummer Night's Magic" charity game", "Pro Basketball; Los Angeles Lakers Hire Magic Johnson To Be Head Coach", "199394 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule and Results", "Johnson gets win in first game as coach", "199394 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats", "Pro Basketball; Leaving on His Terms, Johnson Retires Again", "Hitting Referee Costs Van Exel $187,000", "Magic Raises Questions About Laker Confusion", "Outside the Lines: Magic 10 Years Later, and Limits of Loyalty", "Men's Basketball Opens Exhibition Season Against Magic Johnson All-Stars", "Memory Lane: Magic records triple-double in exhibition win vs. Mich. St", "Historias nrdicas: Magic Johnson, el vikingo", "Book review: When the Game Was Ours by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson", "HBO Documentary Revisits Magic JohnsonLarry Bird Rivalry That Saved Basketball", "All-Time Playoffs Individual Career Leaders", "Top N. American athletes of the century", "Jordan to Bird: Top 10 moments in NBA All-Star history", "Larry Bird and Magic Johnson Receive NBA Lifetime Achievement Award", "Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, exec Jim Buss relieved of duties as Magic Johnson takes over basketball operations", "Magic Johnson abruptly resigns as Lakers' president", "Magic Johnson steps down as Lakers' president of basketball operations", "Magic Johnson: Los Angeles Lakers legend resigns", "Earvin Johnson III, Magic Johnson's Gay Son, Goes Public With Boyfriend, Parents Very Proud (Video)", "Magic Johnson's House in Southern California", "Hot property: For Magic Johnson, Dana Point vacation home's a slam dunk", "Magic Johnson on Jeremy Lin: 'God is Good', "Magic Johnson Testifies His Christian Faith in God at Connecticut Huskies vs. Michigan State Spartans NCAA's March Madness 2014 Game", "Magic Johnson, NBA all-stars join Obama, play hoops for troops", "Report: Johnson to became part owner of Lakers", "To Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss was friend, mentor and 'second father', "Magic says Buss made him the man he is today", "Magic Johnson Gives His Label an Assist", "Sports Briefing Pro Basketball; Magic Johnson Signs With ESPN", "Magic Johnson joins ESPN, ABC as NBA studio analyst", "Magic Johnson on his growing foodservice business", "Former Magic Johnson Theaters reopens as Rave Cinemas", "Starbucks Acquires Remaining Interest in Magic Johnson Enterprises' Urban Coffee Opportunities (UCO)", "Magic Johnson sells his 105 Starbucks franchises", "Magic Johnson wows the crowd and talks minority-owned businesses", "Magic Johnson Says He Wouldn't Have Joined Bird After LeBron James's Move", "Bank On Condos: NBA Great In $71M Tower Deal", "Manhattan-style condos come to Fort Greene", "Magic Johnson buys into D.C.-area Pepsi bottling operation", "Magic Johnson Becomes Part Owner of Lakers", "Magic Johnson would be interested in buying Clippers, source says", "Magic Johnson reportedly interested in buying Clippers, NBA plans Tuesday press conference on Donald Sterling investigation", "Magic Johnson buys life insurance company", "Wizards, Warriors, and Magic: A Strategic Partnership", "Magic Johnson leads dream team bidding for Dodgers", "Magic Johnson-led group is picked as Dodgers' next owner", "From bankruptcy to a World Series title: Dodgers' ascension is Magic", "New Dragons owners say they won't mess with success", "Capital Buzz: D.C. businessman buying Dayton baseball team", "Magic Johnson, 55, Los Angeles Sparks Co-Owner", "Sparks defeat Lynx for first WNBA championship since 2002", "Magic Johnson, Mia Hamm among owners of new L.A. pro soccer team", "MLS Wants Fans' Help To Pick Team Name, Logo For New 'LA Football Club', "LA's MLS expansion team announces official club name: Los Angeles Football Club", "Justin Bieber, Magic Johnson, Will Ferrell among many stars at MLS Cup 2022", "Magic Johnson backs Angelides for Governor", "Magic Johnson, Bill Clinton team up for Hillary", "Magic Johnson Backing Barbara Boxer for US Senate", "Magic Johnson Endorses President Barack Obama", "Magic Johnson endorses Wendy Greuel for L.A. mayor", "I feel @HillaryClinton will be a great President for the American people and she will make sure that everyone has a voice! [43] After two years in college, during which he averaged 17.1points, 7.6rebounds, and 7.9assists per game, Johnson entered the 1979 NBA draft. Magic Johnson: My Life. According to the Los Angeles Times, Magic Johnson's earliest and arguably most vocal champion was a childhood friend named Reggie Chastine.A fellow playground baller in Lansing, Michigan, Chastine was teammates with Johnson at Everett High School and got the future star thinking about being a future star, that achievements like all-state and All-American selections were possible, if not probable. [80] However, Abdul-Jabbar, who was now 38years old, scored 30points and grabbed 17rebounds in Game 2, and his 36points in a Game 5 win were instrumental in establishing a 32 lead for Los Angeles. [44] Johnson shares the single-game playoff record for assists (24),[152] holds the Finals record for assists in a game (21),[152] and has the most playoff assists (2,346). Double your traffic. [148][149] Johnson appeared at Bird's retirement ceremony in 1992, and described Bird as a "friend forever";[113] during Johnson's Hall of Fame ceremony, Bird formally inducted his old rival. EXCLUSIVE. [126] He was coaching a team that had five of his former teammates on the roster: Vlade Divac, Elden Campbell, Tony Smith, Kurt Rambis, James Worthy, and Michael Cooper, who was brought in as an assistant coach. [13][169] The couple adopted a daughter, Elisa, in 1995. He led all scorers with 39 points. We exercise a proven expertise in business strategy, urban planning and developing creative business solutions to drive unparalleled results for our clients and partners. [28] His career 138triple-double games places him third all-time behind Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. [187] In 2006, Johnson created a contract food service with Sodexo USA called Sodexo-Magic. [168] Johnson and Cookie have one son, Earvin III ("EJ"), who is openly gay and a star on the reality show Rich Kids of Beverly Hills. (LAFC) of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2017. Johnson sold his remaining interest in the stores back to the company in 2010, ending a successful twelve-year partnership. Johnson stated that his aim was to "help educate all people about what [HIV] is about" and teach others not to "discriminate against people who have HIV and AIDS". Let's leave it at that. Through investment, partnership and consultation, Magic Johnson Enterprises has a portfolio of companies that strategically work together to reinforce the organization's focus on serving emerging, multicultural communities. In the decisive Game 7 in Boston, as the Lakers trailed by three points in the final minute, opposing point guard Dennis Johnson stole the ball from Johnson, a play that effectively ended the series. Magic Johnson was also having success in college at Michigan State.In his senior year, Magic led his school to a 26-6 record that was good enough . [180] Shortly after the cancellation of his talk show, Magic Johnson started a record label. The Hall of Famer and business magnate has formally entered the game with a new partnership with the NBA and Top Shot, the league's partner that offers digital collectable NFTs non-fungible tokens of player and team highlights. From his humble beginnings to his league debut as the Los. Johnson did join the basketball team but became angry after several days when his new teammates ignored him during practice, not even passing the ball to him. Although Andre was raised by his mother, he visited Johnson each summer, and later worked for Magic Johnson Enterprises as a marketing director. According to sports journalist Larry Schwartz of ESPN, Johnson and Bird saved the NBA from bankruptcy. [177], In 1997, his production company Magic Johnson Entertainment signed a deal with Fox. However, after Johnson went down with a hamstring injury in Game 2, the Lakers were no match for the Pistons, who swept them 40. [40] Playing with future NBA draftees Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent, and Mike Brkovich, Johnson averaged 17.0points, 7.9rebounds, and 7.4assists per game as a freshman, and led the Spartans to a 255record, the Big Ten Conference title, and a berth in the 1978 NCAA tournament. Magic Johnson Development Corporation, which develops commercial property in long neglected . [72] In a losing effort against Philadelphia, Johnson averaged 19.0points on .403shooting, 12.5assists, and 7.8rebounds per game. Magic Johnson, who has spearheaded developments in underserved urban communities in the decades since his ending his legendary NBA career, is pushing for more investments from commercial real estate into initiatives that benefit minority areas. [49][50] Johnson averaged 18.0points, 7.7rebounds, and 7.3assists per game for the season, was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Team, and was named an NBA All-Star Game starter. [25], Johnson came to love basketball as a young man. You can connect with Magic Johnson on Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. Magic was the fourth of seven children Earvin Sr. and Christine had together. [77][109], Johnson's HIV announcement became a major news story in the United States,[108] and in 2004 was named as ESPN's seventh-most memorable moment of the previous 25 years. The franchise reached an agreement with free agent LeBron James on a four-year contract in 2018, but efforts to trade for Anthony Davis during the 201819 season proved unsuccessful.
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